Description
These moist and flavorful pumpkin muffins are the perfect autumn treat, combining warm spices and a rich pumpkin base, topped with a smooth cream cheese glaze for an irresistible finish. Ideal for breakfast or a cozy snack, they bake up fluffy and tender with a delightful spice blend that complements the pumpkin perfectly.
Ingredients
Muffin Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin
- 2 large eggs
Glaze Ingredients:
- 4 oz softened cream cheese
- 1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC) to get it ready for baking the muffins.
- Melt Butter: Fully melt the unsalted butter in the microwave and set it aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves until evenly combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cooled melted butter with the light brown sugar and sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Pumpkin and Eggs: To the butter and sugar mixture, add the pure pumpkin and eggs. Beat well until fully combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again to ensure an even batter.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry flour and spice mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat until the batter is very smooth and homogeneous.
- Prepare Muffin Pan: Grease a large-size muffin pan or line it with large muffin liners to prevent sticking.
- Fill Muffin Pan: Using a large spoon, divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about three-quarters full to allow room for rising.
- Bake Muffins: Bake the muffins in the preheated oven at 375ºF for 26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool Muffins: Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool completely before glazing.
- Make Glaze: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue mixing. Then add milk and vanilla extract and beat until the glaze is creamy and smooth.
- Glaze Muffins: Drizzle the cream cheese glaze generously over the cooled muffins in multiple directions to create a criss-cross pattern.
- Store Leftovers: Store any leftover glazed muffins in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Notes
- Ensure the melted butter has cooled slightly before mixing with sugars to avoid cooking the eggs when added.
- Use large muffin liners to make removal easier and keep the muffins intact.
- Do not overfill muffin cups to prevent spilling during baking.
- Allow muffins to cool completely before glazing to prevent glaze from melting off.
- Store the glazed muffins in the refrigerator, but bring them to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
